Riddle Enigma

† חִידָה n.f. riddle, enigmatic, perplexing saying or question;—abs. ח׳ Ju 14:12 + 6 times; sf. חִידָתִי Ju 14:18 ψ 49:5; חִידָֽתְךָ Ju 14:13; pl. abs. חִידוֹת 1 K 10:1 + 4 times; חִידֹת Nu 12:8; sf. חִידֹתָם Pr 1:6;— 1. riddle = dark, obscure utterance Nu 12:8 (JE; opp. פֶּה־אֶל־פֶּה and מַרְאֶה); of something put indirectly and needing interpretation;—an allegory חוד ח׳ Ez 17:2 (‖ מְשֹׁל מָשָׁל); allegor. and fig. sayings Pr 1:6 (‖ מְלִיצָה מָשָׁל and דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים); enigmat. sentences and comparisons, declaring fate of Chaldeans Hb 2:6 (+ מְלִיצָה; ‖ מָשָׁל), perplexing moral problem ψ 49:5 (c. פָּתַח open, propound; ‖ מָשָׁל), a lesson taught indirectly ψ 78:2 (ח׳ מִנִּי קֶדֶם, c. הִבִּיעַ; ‖ מָשָׁל). 2. riddle, enigma, to be guessed, in Ju 14: a. with vb. חוּד Ju 14:12, 13, 16 propound a riddle. b. with vb. הִגִּיד tell (give answer to) a riddle Ju 14:14, 15, 17, 19. c. with vb. מצא find out a riddle Ju 14:18. 3. perplexing questions by which queen of Sheba put Sol. to the test (נִסָּה) 1 K 10:1 = 2 Ch 9:1. 4. with הֵבִין skilled in double-dealing Dn 8:23 (Bev).

† II. [חוּד] vb.denom. propound a riddle;— Qal Pf. 2 ms. חַדְתָּה Ju 14:16; Impf. אָח֫וּדָה Ju 14:12; Imv. (חִידָה וּמְשֹׁל מָשָׁל) חוּד Ez 17:2; חוּ֫דָה Ju 14:13; always c. חידה acc. cogn.

αἴνιγμα, ατος, τό, dark saying, riddle, LXX+5th c.BC+ in riddles, darkly, NT+4th c.BC+; αἴ. προβάλλειν, ξυντιθέναι, πλέκειν to make a riddle, Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to διειπεῖν, εἰδέναι, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II taunt, Refs 5th c.AD+ __III ambush Refs 4th c.AD+

† [אֲחִידָה] n. f. riddle;—fpl. abs. אֲחִידָן Dn 5:12.